Vaccination uptake by vaccine-hesitant parents attending a specialist immunization clinic in Australia.

Tuesday, 10th of May 2016

Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2015;11(12):2895-903. doi: 10.1080/21645515.2015.1070997. Epub 2015 Sep 14.

Vaccination uptake by vaccine-hesitant parents attending a specialist immunization clinic in Australia.

Forbes TA¹ McMinn A² Crawford N²³⁴ Leask J⁵ Danchin M²³⁴.

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Abstract

Vaccine hesitancy (VH) is an issue of global concern. The quality of communication between healthcare providers and parents can influence parental immunization acceptance. We aimed to describe immunization uptake following specialist immunization clinic (SIC) consultation for Australian children of VH parents as a cohort and according to pre-clinic parental position on immunization. At a single tertiary pediatric SIC (RCH Melbourne) a retrospective descriptive study classified VH families according to 3 proposed parental positions on immunization at initial clinic attendance. Immunization status at follow up was ascertained via the Australian Childrens Immunization Register and National HPV Program Register and compared between groups. Of the VH cohort 13/38 (34%) families were classified as hesitant 21 (55%) as late/selective vaccinators and 4 (11%) as vaccine refusers. Mean follow up post-SIC attendance was 14.5 months. For the overall VH cohort the majority chose selective immunization (42%) following SIC consultation. When analyzed by pre-clinic parental position on immunization there was a trend for hesitant families to proceed with full immunization selective families to continue selective immunization and refusing families to remain unimmunised (p < 0.0001). The most commonly omitted vaccines were hepatitis B (66%) and Haemophilus influenzae type B (55%) followed by the meningococcal C conjugate vaccine (53%) and measles mumps and rubella vaccine (53%). Immunization outcome appears to correlate with pre-clinic parental position on immunization for the majority of families attending a SIC in Australia with selective immunization the most common outcome. Tailored  communication approaches based on parental position on immunization may optimise clinic resources and engagement of families but require prospective research evaluation.

KEYWORDS:

communication; resources; specialist immunisation clinic; vaccine hesitancy; vaccine uptake